Esteem & Style: Let’s Stop the SELF Body Shaming Already!

Esteem and style is like the chicken and the egg argument. Does great style precede great esteem or is it the other way around?

As a personal stylist, I’m always hearing others in the industry and even clients talking about “problem areas.” So what exactly IS a problem area? Also referred to as “trouble zones,” problem areas are those areas of one’s body deemed as less than desirable by not only themselves, but by society. This way of thinking is absolutely beyond me.

PSA: There is no such thing as a problem area.

Women’s bodies have amazing capabilities and should not only be looked at objects of affection or sexualization. I think that in order for outward body shaming to stop, it has to start FIRST within ourselves. Our verbiage and the way we talk about ourselves has to change. If we look at our bodies as having problems and areas that need fixing, we are setting ourselves up for failure. This type of language is the breeding ground for why we struggle to love ourselves as-is in the first place.

Now when styling clients, I don’t look to address problem areas and how to hide them. That makes them seem like a deep, dark secret and we should never view our bodies that way. I look to work my clients and find things that they LOVE about their bodies and find ways to celebrate them! If this sounds like something you agree with and you’re looking to elevate your style, email me at iamaquielmiller@gmail.com to book a FREE virtual style discovery consultation!